Rush Limbaugh advertisers keep heading for the exits

Sears, Allstate say their ads ran mistakenly

Two Chicago-area companies were caught up Monday in the growing backlash over Rush Limbaugh's on-air branding of a law student as a "slut," but both said their commercials aired on the radio talk show by mistake.

Responding to calls that they pull their ads or face boycotts, Sears and Allstate both said that the commercials were never scheduled to run on the "Rush Limbaugh Show" in the first place.

Sears came under fire after the Daily Kos blog called for a boycott of the retailer for advertising on Limbaugh's show. But Sears does not sponsor or advertise on the show, Sears Holdings Corp. spokesman Tom Aiello said. He explained that WABC, a New York radio station, mistakenly ran a Sears ad Thursday during a news break from the Limbaugh show.

Seeking to mollify critics, the Hoffman Estates-based company on Monday tweeted: "Sears and Kmart did not intentionally advertise on the Rush Limbaugh show. We've taken actions to ensure our ads do not run on this show.''

Meanwhile, Allstate Corp. blamed a network media vendor for mistakenly running its commercials Monday afternoon during Limbaugh's show. The Northbrook-based home and auto insurer said that its advertising purchase strategy has not included the "Rush Limbaugh Show."

"We contacted the vendor that arranges for our advertising placements and discovered that an error had been made and advertising time had been mistakenly purchased for the show," Allstate said.

Industry sources confirmed that Allstate avoids controversial programming and had not previously run on Limbaugh's show, and that the company was due both an apology letter and make-good spots from the media vendor.

Media Matters for America, a group that targets conservative media, is promoting a boycott of Limbaugh's show, distributed byClear Channel Communications Inc.'s Premiere Radio Networks.

Despite public apologies by Limbaugh to the woman, at least nine advertisers have fled the show, including the ProFlowers delivery service and mortgage lender QuickenLoans.

LegalZoom.com Inc., an online provider of legal services, is among those dropping its ads.

"Our company does not in any way support or endorse the recent comments of Mr. Limbaugh," said Andrea Holland, a spokeswoman for LegalZoom.

AOL.com, the Internet-based publisher, andStamps.com, the online retailer, said Monday that they would pull ads from Limbaugh's program.

"We have monitored the unfolding events and have determined that Mr. Limbaugh's comments are not in line with our values," Caroline Campbell, an AOL spokeswoman in New York, said in an emailed statement. "As a result we have made the decision to suspend advertising on the Rush Limbaugh show."

The controversy began last week when Limbaugh criticized Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown University law student who spoke to Congress last month in favor of President Barack Obama's policy requiring insurers to offer contraceptives to women.

He described the 30-year-old as a "slut" and a "prostitute" who effectively wanted government to subsidize her sexual activity and demanded, "We want you to post the (sex) videos online so we can all watch."

Limbaugh posted an apology on his website Saturday, saying, "My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.''

On Monday, he again apologized while firing back at critics.

"I acted too much like the leftists who despise me," Limbaugh said on the show, according to a transcript on his website. "I descended to their level, using names and exaggerations to describe Sandra Fluke. It was wrong, and that's why I've apologized."

Representatives of Premiere and Clear Channel didn't respond to requests for comment.

Limbaugh averaged 13.2 million listeners a week as of spring 2011, according to ratings supplied by Horizon Media Inc., an ad planning and placement company. Talkers magazine, a Longmeadow, Mass., publication, called Limbaugh the most listened-to talk-radio host.

The controversy isn't likely to have a long-term impact on the show, said Michael Harrison, editor and publisher of Talkers.

"Millions of people like to hate him, because he's entertaining," Harrison said. "To many advertisers, this is showing why they might want to be on his show. Some advertisers will come back. Some are dropping him for the attention they get for doing so."

Fluke, speaking Monday on the television show "The View," responded to Limbaugh's apology.

"I don't think a statement like this issued, saying that his choice of words was not the best, changes anything," Fluke said. "He's under significant pressure from his sponsors who are beginning to pull their support."

Clear Channel, based in San Antonio, operated 866 U.S. stations in 150 markets as of Dec. 31, according to a regulatory filing. The Premiere Networks unit produces or supplies 90 syndicated programs to almost 5,800 affiliate stations.